New child care center opens in Rocky Mount amid shortage

Before Kids Academy and Childcare Center was a reality, it was Roy Dawson’s dream. Dawson came out of retirement after 20 years to run the center.

If you walk inside Kids Academy in Rocky Mount, you will find lots of toys, books and more.

"I got tired of sitting around, and I needed to have something to do,” Dawson said.

Dawson said getting the center up and running has been a two-year project. Dawson has years of experience, from driving a school bus to owning another daycare in Rocky Mount. He is excited to start doing what he loves again.

"When [people] go to work, they think about their children. I wanted a place where [when] people go to work, they will know their children will be safe,” Dawson said.

Dawson has 35 seats open right now, available for infants up to 12-year-olds.

With child care shortages across the state, he expects the center to be in high demand.

About half of North Carolina families with children live in so-called "child care deserts," places where there are not enough openings for children who need them or where quality child care is financially out of reach for most families.

The North Carolina Early Education Coalition reports infant and toddler care is some of the worst, with only about 18-percent of the population covered with existing supply of infant-toddler programs.

Acting Director Tarshia Edwards is working to combat another issue the center is facing.

"There are kids everywhere waiting to get in a facility. It’s having the teachers,” Edwards said.

The center is working to hire trained professionals with experience so it can offer high-quality care.

Across the state, there are 27 counties that have less than five centers with four- and five-star programs serving infants and toddlers.

It’s a problem state and local governments are taking steps to improve.

Just days ago, the state Department of Commerce announced the are creating a new position – a "child care business liaison" who can help businesses help their workers find quality childcare options.

At Kids Academy, they want to put another center on the map as a small step to solve a big problem.

"Teaching children is not a small task. There are things you need to know and skills you need to develop, and they come with time," Edwards said.

If you are interested in applying for a position or enrolling a child, Dawson can be contacted at (252) 544-2340 or on Facebook.